Presently, people communicate in a large number of disparate ways. For example, within a family or a business, people leave notes for one another, leave phone messages on answering machines, and pass messages via word-of-mouth. More recently faxes, e-mails and Internet messaging software help us keep in touch with family, friends and business associates.
While these communication methods have advantages, they do have limitations. Notes stuck to refrigerator doors or computer monitors lend themselves only to very short messages. Phone messages can be longer but are unidirectional. When another party to a phone call is unavailable, one can leave a message for the other party. However, one can not readily find out the answer to a question. For example, while one can leave a message indicating one's schedule, one must wait for a return phone call to find out if ones schedule is acceptable. Of course, the return phone call may never come.
Faxes and e-mails suffer from the same limitation. Like the phone, Internet messaging software requires that the other party be available at the time communication is desired.
Even when the other party is available to complete the communication, the phone call or chat request can represent a disruption. For example, a phone call may interrupt one's train of thought, or interrupt a meeting with a busy colleague. One may answer the phone because one recognizes the need for the caller to have the information being requested. However, it may be better if the caller could collect that information without causing the disruption.
Another example of a disruptive communication event is that performed by some medical patients. For example, a heart patient may wear a heart monitor for recording heart rate and sinus rhythms. On a regular basis, the patient must take time to deliver the logged information to his health care provider or compliance manager. Presently, in the best situations, the patient must connect the monitor to a communications device such as a modem or a personal computer that is connected to a communications network, and initiate a data transfer. In a less desirable situation the patient must make regular visits to his health care provider, so that the health care provider can extract the logged information from the monitor. This can be an expensive and time-consuming procedure.
Where the patient is able to remotely upload the logged data, the patient is still required to interrupt normal activities to perform the upload. Furthermore, the patient is required to learn how to connect the monitor to the communication system and how do initiate the communication. Some elderly patients find this provisioning or setup and connection procedure cumbersome and stressful.
By way of summary, presently, premise networks, web sites, telephony services, conference services, etc. require significant provisioning and set-up on the part of a service provider and customers. Connectivity around the premise can be difficult. Local Area Networks (LANs) may be used. Links to outside service providers are generally over diverse architectures.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved communication system that resolves the above-referenced difficulties and others.